Memories in Pieces
by Aqua Zephyrus
Summary: A collection of drabbles detailing the friendship- and potential romance- between Aaron Hotchner and Spencer Reid. *3. First Kiss: Aaron finds it funny how their first kiss has him being anything BUT confident in how this could turn out.*
1. Just Once

**Currently creating little drabbles of these two best I can. Will most likely be full of canon, AU, and what-if moments. Feel free to tag along for the little trip. :D**

**I don't own **_**Criminal Minds.**_** If you thought I did, you're silly.**

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Just Once

_Slight spoilers for 7.01: It Takes a Village._

Spencer can't think of how many times he's wanted to just- nuzzle Aaron's beard.

Ever since he came back from Pakistan, he's dreamt about his boyfriend's face with that scruff. Taking down UnSubs. Kevlar. Just talking in general, all in casual attire, but completely professional. But because of Emily's return, the lies, the lack of communication between one another, and the silent anger of not being told the real story… well. There wasn't a chance to really touch it.

Only now as Spencer gazed at his sleeping lover did he stroke his bare cheek with a wistful sigh and a murmur.

"I wish you would never shave so I could just nuzzle and kiss that beard you had in September, Aaron. Just once."

_Just. Once. _How many times had he said that and gotten his wish?

To be exact? One time. "_Just once, I wish someone wouldn't judge me and appreciate me for who I was. Is that so hard to ask?_"

According to the sleeping unit chief in bed, it wasn't.


	2. Scars and All

**Written for the HxR Prompt Meme over on LiveJournal. Enjoy!**

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He wasn't really sure if he could convince Aaron to stop it, but it couldn't hurt.

"Aaron?"

The man glanced at him from his bathroom, unblinking. Eight months, and still- still there were secrets between the both of them. Little things here and there that would slip out and be heard once in a while before there was some prodding, and finally another secret was released. The two of them had walls; hell, Aaron had a goddamn suit of armor that was slowly and steadily being chipped away.

Spencer gazed back at his lover and motioned him over to the bed. Aaron quietly walked over, frowning a little as the other man motioned him to sit down. He obliged, settling down on the mattress and sheets. "What is it?"

Already, though, the younger man's hands were roaming on the fabric of Aaron's shirt. He could tell the unit chief was tensing up, closing his eyes and hands already slowly grabbing the sheets. Was this... huh. Spencer slowly felt down Aaron's body and watched his reaction. The lower he got, the more those muscles under his touch tightened. The more Aaron scowled before finally, a hand came up and grabbed Spencer's wrist. "...I know what you're thinking."

"Didn't know you could read minds," he teased.

Aaron exhaled slowly. "That's not funny."

A shrug. "I just- want to know what's under here. I can feel it, but... I want to _see _it for myself, you know?"

"I can't."

That threw Spencer for a loop, and he frowned this time. "Why not?"

Aaron didn't answer. He slowly let go of his boyfriend's wrist and opened his eyes, biting the top lip. Spencer moved closer to him. "Don't shut me out," he told him quietly. "Let me help you with this. Please."

There wasn't much to say about the matter really, and Aaron didn't say a word. Spencer still watched him, biting his own lip and tentatively placing a hand on the cloth again. Then another hand, taking hold if it and gently pulling it up. Again, the unit chief tensed up, and Spencer continued to be slow, gentle about it. Like a knave peeling off his prince's armor after a long war, the younger man was easy in taking that shirt off, pulling it over his head and putting it next to him.

In front of him was a tan, slightly muscular body with nine scars, some longer than the others. Spencer traced the longest one, almost entranced by it before looking up at Aaron. "Is this...?"

The older man gritted his teeth, his voice bitter. Angry, but not at his boyfriend. "He won, Spencer. And every time I see these in the mirror, I'm forced to remember that night. And I hate it." His voice dropped to a whisper. "I fucking hate it with every fiber of my being."

Spencer blinked and moved closer to him, but Aaron moved back a little. "I _lost_, Spencer. He won. Foyet won, and..." His voice cracked. "...and now he-"

"He didn't _win._"

Aaron looked up with a hard swallow to have Spencer suddenly lean in and give the man a hard kiss on the lips; one filled with warmth, passion, a sort of possessive protectiveness as he slid his arms around his lover. Around his Aaron. _His_ Aaron. For the first time in his life- in this relationship, even- the two men were chest-to-chest. _Bare_ chest to _bare _chest. Some definition on behalf of Spencer to muscle and scars on behalf of Aaron. And Aaron was... loving it.

He felt safe in Spencer's arms. Safer than having a gun in the nightstand and a knife under the pillow. He was in his boyfriend's arms, and Spencer was there to protect him. To love him. To be with him through thick and thin.

The genius whispered in his ear again. "You won, Aaron. You _beat_ Foyet. And even though... you may think he won with those nightmares and those days you sit around and mope about how you lost Haley, you have to remember. You have _Jack._ He didn't take Jack from you. And- no matter how far you push me away, no matter how bad it gets. No matter how many s-secrets you hide from me..." He tightened his arms around him. "...I will _always_be here for you."

Aaron slowly wrapped his arms around Spencer, head on his shoulder. Shaking so slightly; the young genius was pretty sure Aaron was crying. But to know that he could at least open up and do that around him- that was more than enough right now. Peeling off the armor had been the main objective, the main reason for tonight. Being his rock and holding him and meaning every word of his love...

The man breathed again. "I love you, Aaron Hotchner. Scars and all."


	3. First Kiss

**I'm not exactly sure what brought this one around, but you don't see me complaining right now. And if you haven't noticed the trend yet, I have a real soft spot for Aaron being on the bottom.**

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It's strange, the first time Aaron kisses him.

It's… timid.

The great, strong Aaron Hotchner is not known to be timid. He wants something, he'll do what he has to in order to get it. Whatever the case may be, however the circumstances go down- he'll do it. The proud alpha male, the former leader of the BAU, the man who hides his scars from the world under a mask of silent resolution.

So why the fuck was he so scared of giving Spencer a kiss on the lips?

A hand shakily went through Spencer's hair, short yet soft, pulling him closer and pressing his lips softly into the other man's own. The genius followed suit, slowly wrapping his arms around Aaron and breaking it so briefly with a whisper. "…it's okay, you know…"

'_I'm not a fragile doll or anything. I won't break.'_

All the same, Aaron continued to move slowly, gingerly into the kiss. Little by little and a soft voice back. "I know."

God, he was praying Spencer never thought of him as anything less than… well. He was terrified this wouldn't work out. He was willing to do anything to have this work. Anything at all. Anything to keep him.

Funny thing was, Spencer thought the exact same thing.


End file.
